Endgate construction



. Nov 1, 1949- cf F. BAUER ET AL 2,486,382

ENDGATE CONSTRUCTION Filed May 28, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 BA R y/2 5 AUN, Edi-901% tSCOT ATTORNEYS Nov 1, 1949.

(I. F. BAUER ET AL ENDGATE CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 28,1945 FIG. 3

ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 1, 1949 ENDGATE CONSTRUCTION Carl F. Bauer andDonald A. Wangelin, Rock Island, and Clifford L. Scott, Moline,'lll.,assignors to Deere & Company, Moline, 111., a corporation of IllinoisApplication May 28, 1945, Serial No. 596,164

7 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to farm equipment and is moreparticularly concerned with wagon boxes for farm wagons, trailers andthe like.

The object and general nature of the present invention is the provisionof a new and improved --raising endgate construction for sheet metalwagon boxes, particularly the flared grain tank type. More particularly,it is a feature of this invention to provide a raising endgateconstruction which not only is strong and rigid but also is particularlyadapted for use with the rear endgate of the wagon box of the flaredtype.

More particularly, it is a feature of this invention to provide a newand simplified means for operating the raising endgate section and forholding the latter in different positions where desired. It is also afeature of this invention to provide a particular construction ofraising endgate section, formed of sheet metal parts but so fabricatedand connected as to secure exceptional rigidity and light weight. It isalso a particular purpose of the present invention to provide aninexpensive mechanism for raising and lowering the raising section ofthe endgate and for readily removing the raising endgate section fromthe endgate. This is of particular importance in simplifying themanufacturing operations in the construction of the rear endgate andalso simplifies the setting up and assembly of the rear endgate forassembly on the wagon box.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of thefollowing detailed description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which one preferred embodiment of the presentinvention has been illustrated.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the preferred fonm ofrear endgateconstruction.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detail view showing the construction of theupper endgate section and one of the two slides or guideways in whichthe lower or raising endgate section is normally disposed.

Figure 3 is anenlarged perspective view of the raising endgate section,certain portions being broken away in order to show the construction ofthe lower endgate section to better advantage.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along the line44 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, more particularly to Figure 1, the wagonbox is indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral I andcomprises a bottom member 2, a pair of side members 3 and 4- suitablyconnected to the bottom member 2 and front and rear end-gates. Thepresent invention is particularly concerned with the rear endgate,indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 5. The wagon boxsection, exclusive of therear endgate 5, forms the subject matter ofanother application, Serial No. 596,163, filed May 28, 1945.

The rear endgate 5 comprises an upper endgate section 6 and a lower orraising endgate section 7. The upper endgate section 6 includes anendgate sheet ll provided with a plurality of corrugations l2 which, asbest shown in Figure 2, terminate short of the edges of the sheet. Thesheet H is approximately trapezoidal in shape and at its upper edge hasa flange |3 which is bent rearwardly, and then downwardly, as at l4,embracing and overhanging the upper ends of a pair of Z bars l5 and I6which, as will be explained in more detail below, forms a slide orguideway for the .lower raising endgate section I. Opposite side edgesof the sheet are reenforced by an angular strip I8, the thickness ofwhich is substantially the same as the thickness of the outer flange I9on the associated slide angle or 2 bar.

Each of the 2 bars l5 and I6 extend downwardly beyond the lower edge 2|of the sheet Also, each of the Z bars l5 and I6 includes a flangeportion 23 which is spaced from the plane of the endgate sheet so as tocooperate therewith in forming a groove or slide indicated by the 7reference character S. In order that the groove or guideway S at eachside of the endgate shall extend downwardly beyond the lower edge 2|, weprovide at each side a plate or bar 25, the upper end 26 of which liesin abutting relation with respect to the edge 2|, at each end thereof.Thus, the bars or strips 25 lie in the same plane as the sheet Theflanges l9 of the two Z bars l5 and I6 are secured, preferably by spotwelding, at a plurality of points to the sheet II and also to theassociated strip 25. The rear edge of each of the two wagon box sides 3and 4 is provided with a channel member 3| which, as best shown inFigure 4, has a pair of ribs 30 that form a groove 32 to receive theassociated edge of the port channels 33 to the bottom sheet cleats 34.

The raising endgate section I is a double walled member, as best shownin Figure 3. Referring now to this figure, the rear or outer portion ofthe raising endgate section 1 includes a corrugated sheet 36 having aflange 31 at its upper and lower edges, "the flange 131 being 'shaped"to ';turn inwardly, as =at 38. The sheet *36 'is provided with two ormore ribs or corrugations 39 which face inwardly. The other part whichcompletes the raising endgate section 1 is a substantially lflat sheet4! having a flange 42 at each opposite edge, each flange including alaterallyrdirectedsedge portion 43. Each edge portion 43 is-spaced fromthe main body of the sheetfil bya-diStance which corresponds to thewidth of the flanges 31 whereby, when the sheet 36 is slidaintogplacebetween the flanges 43 and the main portion of the sheet 4 l thecorrugations 39 and the turned-inportions of the sheet 36 come intoengagement with the :main .ebody aof the .sheet "41. The two sheets aresecured together by spot welding, "aszat 43, :along :the :corrngations:39 :where they -:come into conatactrwith the sheet 41. :Se'curingtheisheetsi36 'nnd 4:! together :this manner :serves to holdrtheiflanges 43 :of the sheet 4! snugly about the ends of the corrugatedsheet 36, and no 'further fasteningor .attachmentris neededother'thanthe spot welds along the corrugations orribs 39,238 shown inFigure '3. :However, the overlapping :or uteentrant'flanges 538 andA-3,:together vwith 'the :maicr portions -:of the :flanges 3-1 and l2,:-serve to :reenforcesand-strengthen:the side and endedges :of the:raising-.endgate-seotion. IIhe thickness of the overlapping portions atopposite .edges, :as. at 42,-.of theraisingrendgate-sectioniis-substantially equal .to the distance tor-width -of :the slide or ,guideway E, :as Joest shown Figure A.

For raising the raising endgate :section :1 ave gprovide a pair of lugsi :welded to the 2 -.bars Hand 16 each bracket .5! being 'apertured,,asat :52, (Figure 2) toreceivearotatable shaft,,pr.eferablyin.therform-.of a:pine member-.53. .One-end of the :pipe member :53 :is,slit, :as fat :54, .the .two ,portions .being .zapertured to receive arivet or flush bolt 55 by rwhich -.a handle :55 .is iswingably connectedto tthe pipe-cmember. ,A;pair of, pinions .51 are rfixed, .as by.welding, .to ,the pipe :member orshaft '53, and preferably .the minions5:1 .are .punched.from.flatstock. .lhe t.eeth.of-.the .pinions '51. areadapted 'to .mesh. with 'holes' 59 punched .in flatstrips I61, therebyformingracks. flIhe strips 51 larewspot welded orotherwisesecured.rigidly .to the corrugated .sheet 316 preferably .upagainst 'thellaterally.inner-edgepf.theturnedovenflanged ,portion '43 ofthe sheet 41, -as .best .shown .in .Eigure .3.

As w'ill'be clear from Figure .1, the shaft T53 -may be rotated byturning the .same .with .the ihandlel56,.swinging the latteroutwardlysuflicient to clear the associated .side .support .33 which Iforms a.part of the .side .memher, l3 vnrJl. The raising endgate section 1 .maythus be .raised #170 .anyextentdesired and .then heldin that positionby. swinging the=handle;5'6 ilaterallyinwardlydnto a.,p.ositicn toengage theadjacent part 20f .the .wagon ,hox. After the endgate5lhasbeen .rezmovedzfrom .the -wagon-box, or heforexitihas been assembledthereon, the raisingrendgate ssection 1 may be removed from .the upper.section -16 by :turning the shaft :53 an amount. sufflcient to run the.-racks 6| beyond sand 'outpf mesh with thepinionslfi'l,whichrdisoonnects the endgatesection :1. EEhe :shaft :53 vand pinions A 5%! may th'en zbe .removed ,merely :by (shifting rthe sametoward the 4 left (Figure 1) until the end 60 (see Figure 4) clears theassociated bracket 5 I. That end of the shaft 53 may then be shiftedaway from the bracket 5| and laterally outwardly, the shaft 53 fittingwith sufficient looseness in the other bracket 52 to accommodate thisoperation. Then by straightening the .handle56 :so that it lies in anaxially aligned position with respect to the shaft 53, the latter may bewithdrawn from the "bracket 52. Normally, when the raising endgatesection .is in place, as shown in Figure 1, the engagement of the teethon the pinions 51 with thezracks 3H 011 11118 section 1 is sufficient toprevent 'any a-xi'al displacement of the shaft 53.

' 5 The =raising endgate section may be assembled withthe'other endgatesection 6, as during manurfacture-and/or=assembly thereof at thefactory, by a reversal of the above-mentioned operations. -Whlle we haveshown and described above the preferred structure iniwhich theprinciples of the tpresentinventiomhave been incorporated,itris toherunderstoodthat .our invention is-not-torbe: limitedito .theparticularidetails:shown and described above, but that, in fact, widelydifierentzmeans 5 mayrbe employedziri the practice ,ofthe broaderaspectszofrour.invention.

Whattwe claim, therefore, and-desired tosecure TzbylLetters Patent is:

;-l.:An .endgate sectionforwagon boxes and the :like, :comprisingan'upper endgate -.sheet having iflaringrdownwardlyconvengingsideed'ges-so QS'Z'GO .flt a flaring wagon -box, a .pa.ir-of reenforcingmembers 'fixedatorsaid endgate :sheet and extendiing downwardly from thelower sedge xthereof 5 forming-slots, araising endgate movably mounted:in said slotsandladapted to be raised and-lowered :therein, a;-pa,ir-.0f:1ugs\carried by said reenforcing :members, .said .lugsxbeing rapertured, a shaft rortatably mounted :in said apertures,pinions 0 [mounted-on saidshaft, racks fixed to said raising eendgate.in a position to receive such ,pinions, means .for rotatingsaid'shaftto :raise said end- ;gate, said shaft being slidable in .said lugs when.saidpinions are rout of. mesh .withsaid racks, .and an .arm pivoted-.to one tend .of said shaft and swingable .into aposition alignedwith-the -longi- .tudinal. edge .of .saidshaft to accommodate the,passageof said shaft through said lugs.

:2. .The invention-set .forth in-claim 1,.further 30 characterized by.the upper portions .of said reenforcing members'being-apertured, andatie rod disposed .in said :apelttures, the latter being located atsuch avheightabovethe :lower edge of lthe endgate sheetand above saidilugsto.accommodate .the .movement of said raising endgate.upwardlybeyondsaid,pinions.

3. In\an..endgate constructionfor vwagonvboxes and the like, a raisingendgate comprising a-pair of sheets, one havingtransverselreenforcing-ribs iormedtherein and all-.1ying.at.one--sider:of the plane of -.the.main portionof-saidonesheet, said .ribs extending from one side-edge of the .sheet totheothentheotherof .said-sheetslbeing substantially flat and having:reentrant side flanges formed to .embracelthe ends .of the ribs and ctooverlap the sides of said first sheet, saidsheets being assembled with-.the .main portion of "said .first sheet-spaced from said other sheetbutwith .thezreenforoingrribs.ofsaid-flrst sheet-tin substan- 7 tialengagement with said second sheet, ;and means for -.f-astening thecontacting :portions of said sheets together.

In .an endgate construction for wagon-boxes .and the like,- a-raisingendgatercomprising aipair rsof-sheets, onel-havingztransversereenforcing :rlbs

formed therein and extending from one side to the other, the other ofsaid sheets being substantially flat and having reentrant side flangesformed to embrace the ends of the ribs and to overlap the sides of saidfirst sheet, said sheets being assembled with the reenforcing ribs ofsaid first sheet in substantial engagement with said second sheet, theupper and lower edges of said first sheet being formed with flangesdimensioned to fill the space between said sheets along the upper andlower edges and to contact the upper and lower edges, respectively, ofsaid second sheet.

5. In a wagon box construction, a bottom sheet having at its rear endlaterally outwardly extending cleats, a pair of side sheets, supportsfixed to said side sheets on the outer side thereof, means for fixingthe lower ends of said side supports to said cleats, respectively, apair of channeled members, one fixed to the inside of each of said sidesheets adjacent the rear edge thereof and substantially opposit theassociated side sheet support, an endgate construction carried by saidchanneled members and including an upper endgate sheet, a lower raisingendgate section, means on said upper endgate sheet forming guideways toreceive said raising endgate section, a shaft carried by said endgateconstruction, means operated thereby for raising and lowering saidraising endgate section, said shaft extending adjacent the associatedside sheet support at one side of the wagon box, and a handle memberpivoted to said extended end of said shaft to provide for manuallyrotating said shaft said handle being adapted to stop against saidassociated side sheet support for limiting the rotation of said shaftand serving thereby to hold said raising endgate against movement in atleast one direction.

6. In a wagon box construction, a bottom sheet, a pair of side sheets,supports fixed to said side sheets on theouter side thereof, means forfixing the lower ends of said side supports to said bottom sheet, a pairof channeled members, one fixed to the inside of each of said sidesheets adjacent the rear edge thereof and substantially opposite theassociated side sheet support, an endgate construction carried by saidchanneled members and including an upper endgate sheet, a lower raisingendgate section, means on said upper endgate sheet forming guideways toreceive said raising endgate section, a shaft carried by said endgateconstruction, means operated thereby for raising and lowering saidraising endgate section, said shaft extending adjacent the associatedside sheet support at one side of the wagon box, and a handle memberpivoted to said extended end of said shaft to provide for manuallyrotating said shaft, said handle being adapted to stop against saidassociated side sheet support for limiting the rotation of said shaftand serving thereby to hold said raising endgate against movement in atleast one direction.

7. An endgate section for wagon boxes and the like, comprising an upperendgate sheet, a pair of reenforcing members fixed to said endgate sheetand extending downwardly from the lower edge thereof forming slots, araising endgate movably mounted in said slots and adapted to be raisedand lowered therein, a pair of lugs carried by said reenforcing members,said lugs being apertured, a shaft rotatably mounted in said apertures,pinions mounted on said shaft, racks fixed to said raising endgate in aposition to receive said pinions, said shaft being slidable in said lugswhen said pinions are out of mesh with said racks, means for rotatingsaid shaft to raise said endgate comprising an arm pivoted to one end ofsaid shaft and swingable into a position aligned with the longitudinaledge of said shaft to accommodate the passage of said shaft through saidlugs.

CARL F. BAUER. DONALD A. WANGELIN. CLIFFORD L. SCOTT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 697,949 Schofield Apr. 15,1902889,295 Carroll June 2, 1908 946,981 Newberry Jan. 18, 1910 1,139,458Ledwinka May 11, 1915 1,203,732 Hasselbring Nov. 7, 1916 1,204,971Gordon Nov. 14, 1916 1,223,912 Waterman Apr. 24, 1917 1,270,026 Graeberet a1 June 18, 1918 1,388,896 Sage Aug. 30, 1921 1,394,198 Lawrence Oct.18, 1921 1,765,204 Card June 17, 1930 1,806,428 Travis, Jr May 19, 19311,807,084 Chevrier May 26, 1931 1,836,723 Muchnic Dec. 15, 19311,908,457 Swift et a1 May 9, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date9,248 Denmark Jan. 17, 1907

